Page 35 of Trapped for Christmas

“I am.”

“The reception’s good. It sounds like you’re still in the city.”

“I may have paid several thousand dollars to ensure I was reachable up here.”

Max snorted. “Of course you did. What’s up?”

“I need some advice.”

“And you called me?”

“Why wouldn’t I call you?”

“Unless it’s legal advice, I’d put myself third or fourth on your list. It’s not legal advice, is it?” asked Max, sounding worried.

“Nothing like that. It’s more personal.”

“Personal, as in?”

“I wanted to speak to someone who’s in a relationship.”

“That’s all of us.”

“Except Ethan.”

“Ethan is in a relationship. We’re all just pretending it isn’t happening.”

Mason sighed. Ethan had been in a relationship with Lieutenant Murray Simmons last year. He was a gay police officer who came down hard on his own community. He’d even arrested Sebastian once. Why would Ethan want to be with someone like that? As far as they were supposed to know, Ethan and Simmons had broken up last Christmas, but they’d been seen together again recently. Nobody had said anything. Mason still wasn’t sure how they’d ended up together. They hardly mixed in the same social circles.

“Let’s not get into that shit show right now. I need some advice. Zeb wants us to share a bed.”

“And?”

“What if I end up groping him in the night?”

Max snorted. “You’re asking the wrong person. I grope Paolo whenever he’s within reaching distance.”

Those two were the most tactile in their group. Given what they’d been through, it wasn’t surprising Max always wanted to touch Paolo and make sure he was close by.

“I thought you were open to something with Zeb now,” said Max.

“It’s complicated. I don’t want to rush him into anything. He only got away from that bastard three weeks ago.”

“Yes, but he’s been pining for you for two years. As you have for him.”

“I don’t pine.”

“Of course you don’t. Look, Mason, if you wanted nothing to happen between you two, why did you take him to your cabin?”

“I didn’t want him to come on his own.”

“And in December, of all times?”

“I knew he needed the break now.”

“And you could have put your foot down and insisted it be the new year.”

“He probably would have fought me on it. He just argued with me when I suggested I take the sofa bed.”